A Vegan Valentine’s Day & Chocolate Cupcakes

I think I need to give myself kudos on this one because this is a twofer and I am actually getting it up before Valentine’s Day! As the title suggests, I have a cupcake recipe to share. I also wanted to share some vegan-related Valentine’s Day ideas. Although I am single, I don’t despise Valentine’s Day. I think that it can be a time to show gratitude to your loved ones; whether they are a significant other, friend, or family member.

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I don’t know if I have talked about this here, but I bought a cookbook secondhand and I thought it would be cool to go through and veganize some of the recipes. If you want to follow along, the cookbook is called, “The Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook”. One of the recipes that piqued my interest was a chocolate cake recipe. Chocolate and cake, what could be better? Here is the original non-vegan recipe:

Pour batter into greased cake pans or put the batter into a muffin/cupcake tin (fill each cup 3/4 of the way).

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 – 18 minutes.

This is intimidating right? There is chocolate, shortening, and buttermilk. You might be thinking, how could I possibly make this vegan? This recipe was truly easy to make vegan.

Instead of eggs, I used a flax egg and half of a mashed banana. In place of shortening, I used earth balance vegan butter. I suggest using margarine or coconut oil instead of shortening. You might be wondering about the buttermilk. How do you make vegan buttermilk? It’s actually pretty easy. Adding about a teaspoon of an acid to soy milk will create a buttermilk substitute. Typically the acid is apple cider vinegar or lemon juice. You have to use soy milk because of the amount of protein, almond milk will not work for this, unfortunately. I go over a lot of vegan substitutes in my vegan baking fails post. I kept the amounts the same. The batter is fairly easy to make. I recommend initially to keep the wet and dry ingredients separate. More instructions to follow.

For the Buttercream Frosting

3 & 3/4cuppowdered sugar

3 tbspearth balanceroom temp

2tspvanilla extract

3-4tbspsoy milk

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Melt the chocolate chips in a saucepan over low heat. Do not overcook the chocolate! While the chocolate is melting, prepare flax egg and vegan buttermilk. Set aside for later.

Combine the dry ingredients and gently stir together. Take the chocolate off the heat once it is melted.

Combine the flax egg with the sugar, water, vegan butter, and vanilla extract. Add these ingredients to the dry ingredients.

Once those are combined, add part of the chocolate to the mixture and then part of the vegan buttermilk. Alternate these until they run out. Continue stirring and folding until everything is well-combined. The batter should not be lumpy.

Spray cupcake pan or add liners. Then fill each cup 3/4 of the way. Bake for 15-18 minutes. Insert a toothpick into the cupcake to ensure that it is cooked all the way through.

Allow the cupcakes to cool for at least 15 minutes. Prepare the frosting by combining the ingredients, the mixture should be thick and smooth. Frost cupcakes with a spatula or use a piping bag.

Notes

This recipe yields about 18 cupcakes.

I recommend all-purpose flour. I have not tried it with any gluten-free flours, so proceed with caution when using a different flour.

You can use one mashed banana in place of a flax egg, but the texture will be different.

This recipe is adapted from “The Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook”.

I thought I would share some ideas for Valentine’s Day as well. I am single so I am using this time for self-care. I will be watching movies and relaxing with a face mask. Taking myself on a date as they say. And of course, I will be eating vegan treats! If you are in a relationship then you should just discuss with your significant other. I think making a nice meal or going out to dinner are always classic options. Watching a romantic movie together is an affordable option. Do what makes you both happy!

Here are vegan gift ideas for your S.O.

I hope you like the recipe and Valentine ideas! These are more feminine ideas because I didn’t know what else to put, but I’m sure you are more creative than I am. Thanks for stopping by!

You might also like:

If you make any of my recipes tag me on Instagram @vegkaley. Let me know your thoughts on Valentine’s Day in the comments! P.S. Sorry about all of the affiliate links. You are not obligated to buy through my links or to buy anything in general. I just want to give you plenty of options.

About Authentically Vegan

Hi I’m Kaley! I’m the creator behind this blog. So what is it all about? It’s a twenty something’s journey through life. Someone finding purpose and beauty in even the small things. And a passion for veganism and intentional living. Click to learn more!

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